This invention relates to games and books particularly interactive games having multilevels of playing surfaces and for truly interactive books providing interaction between the reader or player in which concealed devices beneath the playing surfaces and the pages are detectable by a probe or similar device.
The field of games to be played primarily by children has been traditionally divided into board and indoor games and outdoor or active games. Recently, with the advent of computers and integrated circuits, there has developed an entire field of video or computer games. Each have their different components and each require a different degree of physical activity on the part of the player. Additionally there are many indoor games which involve some manipulative skills in mechanical games.
Normally, indoor board games include an illustrated playing surface with a number of pieces which are moved in accordance with the game rules with game play usually controlled by a chance device such as a pair of dice or some other random selection device, e.g., a spinner, wind. Outdoor games usually involve a ball or some launched device and possibly a racket or club and depend on more skill of the players than most board games. Randomness in outdoor or field games is often provided by the field or other conditions.
Video or computer games often provide a mixture of player skill and randomness the latter provided by a microprocessor.
Seldom do all three types of games have the same basic game concept or using the same playing equipment.
Recently great interest has arisen in xe2x80x9cinteractivexe2x80x9d games in which the game pattern changes as a result of actions taken by a player or spoken responses by the player.
Nowhere has, to our knowledge, has anyone been able to develop a game concept which becomes a board game, a hand-held or video type game and an outdoor game all with interactive capability.
Some hand held probe like devices have been developed which give an infrared emitter and detector. U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,066 to Frazer et al show such a device. Such a system require the use of special inks on the playing board and the number of responses is limited.
In the field of security devices, complex systems have been developed which sense the presence or absence of a particular device indicating an unauthorized movement of a product carrying the device. These are often used in retail establishments to prevent the shop-lifting of such products. Such systems are typified by the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,810,172 and 3,766,452 issued to Burpee et al. In the field of games, some detection devices have been developed similar to the security devices which give a positive indication of the presence of a hidden device or no signal in the absence of the device. Nowhere to our knowledge has any game type system been able to produce numerous, low cost, easily concealable, and accurately discrete, identifiable devices and, more important, to have a random or interactive response to the detection of one or more of the devices.
Of further importance is the fact that none of the detection systems are adaptable to board games, hand-held games and outdoor games.
In connection with the development of this invention, it has been recognized that interactivity in the play of games is important in achieving maximum play value, but additionally, the came concept may be applied to multilayered board games and even more importantly to books. This can be achieved, provided the concealable devices utilized can each be detected on the appropriate layer without interference or false detection of hidden devices located on underlying layers or pages. At first, it seemed impossible, within the bounds of utilizing passive hidden devices and a probe or detecting device of play quality, cost and ruggedness.
We recognized the situation regarding games and the challenge presented by all of the above requirements and have developed a game concept which is suitable for pre-school, school age including teen-age payers as well as adults and which may be played in the living room or video game parlor or outdoors. We further recognize that it is possible to develop a game which is, in fact, interactive with the players so that even with increase skill through play, memory will not provide an undo advantage over other players playing it for the first or fewer times.
We have also determined that it is possible to have a totally different theme for a game which employs the same fundamental operational elements and can appeal to other players.
Basically, our invention involves some game board or playing surface which may be decorated either permanently or by movable designs to provide an attractive pattern and theme for the players. Concealed on the board or playing surface are a number of devices which are detectable by the game probe but not detectable visually or by touch or by any of the human senses. In several of the embodiments, the devices are concealed within a board and in others, they are concealed within a game piece having some visual image and the game piece may be placed by the players at any of several places on the game board. In the latter case, even though the playing piece is visible and it is known that it carries a secret device, the player may not know the effect of the secret device on the game play.
The game includes a hand-held or body worn or more generally, movable probe which is moved by the player or players around the playing surface. The probe will sense the presence of the hidden device and will actuate a signal to the players. The signal may be an illuminated light, a musical sound, a command or an audible comment.
The circuitry which responds to the detection of the hidden device is programmed to one of the following:
1. Give the same response for each time it is detected;
2. Provide a random response; or
3. Provide a response which is related to the previous actions of a player or previously detected devices (i.e., interactive).
In one embodiment of this invention is a game board with the devices beneath the playing surface which is ornamented to provide the game theme and to conceal the devices. In another embodiment, the devices are concealed in small movable pieces having a picture or symbol thereon which may be placed on a game board in positions selected by the player. The response, preferably, is related to the picture or symbol.
In another embodiment, the devices are located in various positions on a stepping stone and the probe is carried by special attachment to the shoes of the game player. Other embodiments are clearly possible employing this game concept.
The preferred form of devices are simple printed circuits having a unique design allowing easy, predictable, and reliable detection by an electronic probe. The devices are passive and require no power source.
The probe is preferably battery powered and develops an RF signal which is radiated locally in the specific area under the probe. The probe includes detection, a circuitry which responds to the presence of the device to indicate a xe2x80x9cdetectxe2x80x9d condition and identify which device is detected. The detector of the probe is coupled to logic circuitry and to a display. The logic circuitry will determine the nature of the response to be given and the display will provide a visual or audible signal to the player. The logic circuitry in the interactive embodiment of this invention includes memory to remember at least the last device detected to modify the response of the next device detected.
In certain applications, it is a requirement that a detectable device be produced on one side of a dielectric sheet such as paper and preferably by a standard printing process. Given this requirement we have found that it is possible to develop such a pattern. Basically the pattern is made up of two sets of interleaved fingers which provide capacitative coupling. The set of fingers are each interconnected with respective buses. The buses are connected to opposite ends of an inductive element forming a single partial turn loop. The inductive portion has a spacing from the fingers of several times the interdigital spacing of the fingers.
In an even more effective embodiment, the inductive portion of the hidden device is adjusted in length in a square wave pattern for added length and inductance.
The recognition that the concealable devices may be printed in conductive ink or embossed with a conductive pattern on paper or the paper board backing of game boards or children""s stiff page books has given rise to the recognized need for this invention to be applied to multilevel game boards or children""s books. In such multiple layered applications, another consideration comes into play. The danger that any prove or detecting divide which may detect a concealed device under the present page or board surface, may well detect concealed devices on lower level or pages at the same time or in preference to the concealed devices located under the layer or page of interest. For lack of a better term, this possibility is referred to as xe2x80x9cbleed throughxe2x80x9d or interference by unwanted signals. Such interference will interfere with normal play or interactive book reading.
This problem has been approached employing the same type detectable devices as used heretofore but by changing its background. Namely, the concealable devices are detected by reason of their response to a particular predetermined frequency in a known limited frequency range. Freedom from detection of lower layer devices is now accomplished by related techniques:
1. Each concealed device is surrounded by a conductive pattern which has no significant resonant frequency within the selected frequency range of all detectable devices used.
2. No two concealed devices are located at the same location on successive layers or pages, i.e., under each concealed device will be a non resonant pattern; and
3. The non-resonant frequency patters is selected such that it does not prevent detection of a concealed device overlying such non-resonant frequency pattern.
A preferred non-resonant pattern within a selected frequency range is a series of dots of conductive material, surrounding dots and spaced laterally from the pattern to be detected. The dots themselves have an inter-dot spacing greater than the dimensions of the dots, i.e., greater open space than dot covered space and the dot spacing having a repetition rate such as to produce any resonance, well outside of the detection range of the concealed patterns used. Other than the dot pattern may be used provided the criteria 1-3 are met. Meeting criterium No. 2 is accomplished in the layout of the game pattern or book text and illustrations.
Insofar as the frequency selection, this involves the correlation of the probe detector, the pattern sizes and the non-resonant interference blocking pattern, as taught below in the
As the result of the invention of the non-interfering hidden devices it is possible to produce interactive or adaptive books and multi-level board games. It does require an interaction between the writer or his editor and the graphics designer or illustrator in a new method of writing and illustrating books. The new method includes the steps of correlating the story with options in the story or graphics with the hidden devices. Such a new method is described below.